What does it mean when...

admin

Working on my 1st MIG project this weekend, a welding table. Everything was going well until just about near the end I noticed that the wire would start to push against the metal in short bursts and then spark and create a blob. It wasn't a nice steady arc. I tried getting in closer, changing my gun angle, faster, slower... still seemed to do it. My setup: Lincoln Mig-PAK 1400.025" Lincoln wireC25 gas at 30cphWelding 11ga mild steel to 2x2x0.125 square tubeMIG set to 4.5 wire speed, 'C' voltage. Following the chart inside the machine for the 11ga metal size.TIA.
Reply:How many amps does it say is required to run your welder?  Reason I ask is I had a very similar problem with my Clarke en130.Machine says it needs 15amps.  Well at 15amps and the heat turned up to 4 (highest setting for me) it would weld fine for a while and then would start acting like yours and then would start tripping the breaker.Switched to a 20amp outlet and all has been good since.I'm no expert, just an idea.  Hope it helps.
Reply:I had issues earlier with it tripping a 15A breaker. Contacted Lincoln and they suggested switching to a 20A breaker, and changing the plug end to a 20A plug, plus ran new 12/3 wire from the breaker to the socket. That helped so I don't trip the breaker anymore  My highest setting is 'E' which is when the breaker was tripping.
Reply:Could be that the wire is not feeding smoothly.
Reply:That's a good question... I would have been getting towards the end of my spool of wire. Does it typically get harder to pull wire from the spool once you get down far enough?
Reply:Did you make sure your ground(work clamp) is attached securelyFelonCaution lurker lives here" hmmm That is serious,pass the ganja and pick up a  24 of MGD"
Reply:make sure your gun cable has no kinks in it. my mm212 does that when the cable is kinked. if thats whats wrong simple and easy fix.